Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus having such sheet feeding apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus, in which excellent mounting ability is achieved and damage and dislodging of a recording apparatus can be prevented. A mounting opening for mounting the recording apparatus is formed in a side surface of an apparatus body comprised of an ASF upper case and an ASF base. When the recording apparatus is mounted, after the recording apparatus is rested on a recording apparatus supporting portions for supporting the recording apparatus for shifting movement in a mounting direction, the recording apparatus is guided along the recording apparatus supporting portions in the mounting direction. By providing an eaves portion substantially in parallel with the recording apparatus supporting portions, an upward movement of the recording apparatus is regulated when and after the recording apparatus is mounted.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A sheet feeding apparatus to which a recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium by itself is detachably mountable and which feeds the recording medium to the mounted recording apparatus, comprising: 
       a recording apparatus supporting portion for supporting said recording apparatus for movement in a mounting direction when said recording apparatus is to be mounted; and  
       an eaves portion disposed substantially in parallel with said recording apparatus supporting portion for regulating an upward movement of said recording apparatus when and after said recording apparatus is mounted,  
       wherein a part of said recording apparatus is protruded from said recording apparatus supporting portion and said eaves portion in a direction opposite to the mounting direction when said recording apparatus is mounted to said sheet feeding apparatus.  
     
     
       2. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein a length of said recording apparatus supporting portion in the mounting direction is a length for forming a space having a predetermined mounting direction length below said recording apparatus when said recording apparatus is mounted. 
     
     
       3. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  2 , wherein the length L2 of said recording apparatus supporting portion in the mounting direction for forming said space below said recording apparatus has the following relationship with respect to a length L1 of said recording apparatus in the mounting direction: 
       
         
           L1/2≦L2≦L1−15 mm.  
         
       
     
     
       4. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  3 , wherein the relationship “L1/2≦L2≦L1−15 mm” is satisfied at least a part of said recording apparatus supporting portion in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction. 
     
     
       5. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein a length L3 of said eaves portion in the mounting direction has the following relationship with respect to the length L1 of said recording apparatus in a mounting direction: 
       
         
           L1/4≦L3≦L1/2.  
         
       
     
     
       6. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  5 , wherein the relationship “L1/4≦L3≦L1/2” is satisfied at least a part of said eaves portion in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction. 
     
     
       7. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claims  1  or  2 , wherein said recording apparatus supporting portion has sliding portions for slidingly contacting with said recording apparatus at both ends thereof in the direction perpendicular to the mounting direction, and a stepped portion is provided between said sliding portions. 
     
     
       8. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  7 , wherein said stepped portion has a position and depth so that said recording apparatus supporting portion is not contacted with projections protruded from a lower surface of said recording apparatus when said recording apparatus is shifted in the mounting direction. 
     
     
       9. A sheet feeding apparatus having an apparatus body to which a recording apparatus for recoding an image on a sheet by itself is detachably mountable and feeding the sheet to said recording apparatus mounted to said apparatus body, comprising: 
       connecting means for connecting said recording apparatus to said apparatus body, said connecting means including an elongated hole formed in one of said recording apparatus and said apparatus body, a pin provided on the other of said recording apparatus and said apparatus body and connectable to said elongated hole, and a connection releasing member provided on either one of said recording apparatus of said apparatus body and biased toward a connection releasing direction; and  
       an electrical connecting portion of said recording apparatus or said apparatus body being disposed near said pin between said connection releasing member and said pin.  
     
     
       10. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  9 , further comprising lock means provided on either one of said recording apparatus and said apparatus body and connectable to the other of said recording apparatus and said apparatus body, and wherein, after the connection between said recording apparatus and said apparatus body effected by said lock means is released, said connection releasing member is operated toward the connection releasing direction, thereby releasing the connection between said elongated hole and said pin. 
     
     
       11. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  10 , further comprising a protruded member at a side of connection between said elongated hole and said pin, and wherein, after the connection between said recording apparatus and said apparatus body effected by said lock means is released, said connection releasing member is operated toward the connection releasing direction, thereby releasing the connection between said elongated hole and said pin and operating said protruded member. 
     
     
       12. A sheet feeding apparatus having an apparatus body to which a recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet by itself is detachably mountable and feeding the sheet to said recording apparatus mounted to said apparatus body, comprising: 
       connecting means for connecting said recording apparatus to said apparatus body, said connecting means including a circular hole and an elongated hole formed in one of said recording apparatus and said apparatus body, first and second pins provided on the other of said recording apparatus and said apparatus body, first and second pins provided on the other of said recording apparatus and said apparatus body and connectable to said circular hole and said elongated hole, respectively, and first and second connection releasing members provided in the vicinity of said first and second pins and biased toward a connection releasing direction; and wherein  
       said connecting means is designed so that the connection between said circular hole and said first pin is released before the connection between said elongated hole and said second pin is released, and electrical connecting portions of said recording apparatus and said apparatus body are disposed in the vicinity of said second pin between said first and second pins.  
     
     
       13. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  12 , wherein a ratio between a distance X1 from said second pin to said electrical connecting portions and a distance X2 from said second pin to said first connection releasing member is 0.5 or less. 
     
     
       14. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  12 , wherein said second connection releasing member is spaced apart from the connecting position between said circular hole and said first pin more than said electrical connecting portions. 
     
     
       15. An image forming apparatus comprising: 
       a sheet feeding apparatus for feeding a sheet; and  
       a recording apparatus for recording an image on the sheet fed by said sheet feeding apparatus;  
       said sheet feeding apparatus and said recording apparatus being separatable from each other; and wherein  
       one of said sheet feeding apparatus and said recording apparatus has a plurality of lock members movably supported, and an operation member engaged by at least one of said lock members and movably supported, so that said plurality of lock members are moved integrally by manipulating said operation member; and wherein  
       said sheet feeding apparatus or said recording apparatus not having said lock members has a plurality of engagement portions with which said plurality of lock members are engaged, so that said sheet feeding apparatus and said recording apparatus are interconnected by engaging said lock members with said engagement portions, and engagement between said lock members and said engagement portions is released by moving said lock members via said operation member.  
     
     
       16. An image forming apparatus according to claim  15 , wherein each of said lock members is a pawl-shaped member and each of said engagement portions is a hole. 
     
     
       17. An image forming apparatus according to claim  15  or  16 , wherein said lock members are rotatably supported. 
     
     
       18. An image forming apparatus according to claim  15  or  16 , wherein said lock members and said operation member are provided on said sheet feeding apparatus and said engagement portions are provided in said recording apparatus. 
     
     
       19. An image forming apparatus according to claim  18 , wherein said sheet feeding apparatus has a horizontal guide surface for determining a shifting direction of said recording apparatus when said recording apparatus is mounted, and said lock members are arranged to protrude upwardly from said guide surface so that said lock members are moved downwardly by lowering said operation member thereby to release the engagement between said lock members and said engagement portions. 
     
     
       20. An image forming apparatus according to claim  19 , wherein said lock members are biased by an elastic member toward a direction along which said lock members are engaged by said engagement portions, so that, when said lock members are engaged with said engagement portions, said elastic member moves said operation member via said lock members. 
     
     
       21. An image forming apparatus according to claim  20 , wherein said elastic member comprises a spring. 
     
     
       22. An image forming apparatus according to claim  21 , wherein said elastic member comprises a coil spring. 
     
     
       23. An image forming apparatus according to claim  18 , wherein said sheet feeding apparatus has a protruded portion connected to said operation member and supported for shifting movement substantially in a horizontal direction, so that said recording apparatus is shifted in the horizontal direction by shifting said protruded portion substantially in the horizontal direction by lowering said operation member. 
     
     
       24. An image forming apparatus according to claim  23 , wherein the shifting movement of said protruded portion substantially in the horizontal direction is effected after the movement of said lock member, thereby separating said recording apparatus from said sheet feeding apparatus. 
     
     
       25. An image forming apparatus according to claim  15  or  16 , wherein said lock members and said operation member are provided on said recording apparatus and said engagement portions are provided in said sheet feeding apparatus. 
     
     
       26. A mount/dismount connecting mechanism comprising: 
       connection means for detachably interconnecting apparatuses;  
       connection positioning means in which a circular hole and an elongated hole formed in one of said apparatuses are engaged with a pair of protruded shafts provided on the other apparatus to determine a relative connection position between said apparatuses;  
       connection releasing means for releasing a connecting condition of said connection means interconnecting said apparatuses; and  
       spacing means for biasing the interconnected apparatuses toward a separating direction; and wherein  
       said connection means has a pair of lock members for interconnecting said apparatuses in the vicinity of said elongated hole and said circular hole, and said lock member disposed in the vicinity of said circular hole releases the connection before said lock member disposed in the vicinity of said elongated hole releases the connection.  
     
     
       27. A mount/dismount connecting mechanism according to claim  26 , wherein said pair of lock members are provided on the other apparatus, and an engagement amount between said lock member disposed in the vicinity of said circular hole and said one apparatus is smaller than an engagement amount between said lock member disposed in the vicinity of said elongated hole and said one apparatus. 
     
     
       28. A mount/dismount connecting mechanism according to claim  26  or  27 , wherein said spacing means has a biasing member biased to be protruded in the vicinity of said circular hole rather than said elongated hole in a condition that said apparatuses are interconnected. 
     
     
       29. A mount/dismount connection mechanism according to claim  26  or  27 , wherein said spacing member has a pair of biasing members biased to be protruded in the vicinity of said circular hole and said elongated hole in a condition that said apparatuses are interconnected. 
     
     
       30. A mount/dismount connecting mechanism according to claims  26  or  27  further including a recording apparatus wherein one of two apparatuses is a sheet feeding apparatus for feeding a sheet and the other apparatus is a recording apparatus for forming an image on the sheet fed from said sheet feeding apparatus, and said sheet feeding apparatus and said recording apparatus are interconnected by said mount/dismount connecting mechanism. 
     
     
       31. A sheet feeding apparatus to which a recording apparatus is detachably mountable and which feeds a sheet to the mounted recording apparatus, comprising: 
       a supporting portion on which the recording apparatus is to be rested; and  
       a regulating member for regulating an upward movement of the recording apparatus rested on said supporting portion,  
       wherein the recording apparatus has a case provided with an inlet for the sheet, the case including therein conveying means for conveying the sheet inserted from the inlet and recording means for recoding an image on the sheet conveyed by the conveying means, whereby the recording apparatus can record the image on the sheet by itself.  
     
     
       32. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  31 , wherein the recording apparatus is moved in a predetermined mounting direction while rested on said supporting portion so that the recording apparatus is mounted to said sheet feeding apparatus. 
     
     
       33. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  32 , wherein said predetermined mounting direction is substantially in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
       34. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  32  or  33 , wherein a part of the recording apparatus is protruded from said supporting portion in a direction opposite to said predetermined mounting direction when the recording apparatus is mounted to said sheet feeding apparatus. 
     
     
       35. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  32  or  33 , further comprising: 
       locking means for locking the recording apparatus in a state that the recording apparatus is mounted to said sheet feeding apparatus; and  
       urging means for pushing out the recording apparatus in a direction opposite to said predetermined mounting direction when a lock of said locking means is released.  
     
     
       36. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim  35 , further comprising protruding means for pushing out the recording apparatus manually in cooperation with said urging means.